


Distance

by brookwrites



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Amazingphil - Freeform, Angst, DAN AND PHIL - Freeform, Dan Howell - Freeform, Daniel Howell - Freeform, Death, Fluff, M/M, Minor Character Death, Oneshot, Phan - Freeform, Phan Angst, Phan Fluff, Phandom - Freeform, Phanfiction, Phil Lester - Freeform, danisnotonfire - Freeform, dap, dnp, phan oneshot, phanfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-21
Updated: 2017-12-21
Packaged: 2019-02-18 04:57:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13092873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brookwrites/pseuds/brookwrites
Summary: When Phil’s parents get in a car accident, he has to leave and go up north for a few months. Dan is left alone to deteriorate mentally. Can they handle living at a distance?





	Distance

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: It's not major character, but there are a couple sad deaths involved.

Soft sobs echo from the living room. Dan hears them as he scrolls through his Tumblr dash in his and Phil’s new bedroom, and tiptoes into the room. He finds Phil on the couch, crying into his hands. The older boy gasps as Dan sits down on the couch beside him. “Dan… You scared me.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Martyn just called… My… my parents were in a car crash. My dad died and my mum is in horrible shape. I’m going to have to go up north to be with her…” Phil lets out another sob as Dan takes him in his arms.

“Oh, Phil… I’m so sorry…” Tears well up in Dan’s eyes as well as he remembers the Lesters. Their family holidays… Oh, he just saw them in Florida. The two cry in each other’s arms, both weak from shock and pain.

“I should really go get packed…” Phil pulls away, leaving Dan feeling even emptier.

“I’m going with you.” The decision is easy for Dan. Phil’s family is more of a family to him than his own, so he feels the need to be there.

“Dan, I really wish you could… But remember we’ve just moved in here and the landlords said we’d have a surprise inspection at some time in the next six months… We can’t both be gone.” This horrible truth sinks in and Dan realizes Phil is right. He has no choice but to stay.

“You’re right…” Dan sits in silence as Phil leaves to go pack his bags. The silence rings inside him, leaving nothing but a void. Putting his head in his hand, he sobs.

“I’m really going to miss you, Phil… Send my regards to your mum… If she can understand them.” Phil’s train is booked, and he’s standing in their doorway, ready to go. “I’m going to miss you too, Dan.” A tear slides down his cheek as he takes Dan in his arms. Neither of them want to let go, but they each know they don’t have a choice. Phil plants a soft kiss on Dan’s lips, and then he’s gone. Dan can still taste him; he can still feel him on his lips. But he’s gone. And neither of them know when he’s coming back.

“Phil’s off doing a family thing so I’ll be alone for a while.” Dan watches as the liveshow chat blows up with phannies concerned about the fabric of the universe since they’re in separate places. For once, they’re right. The fabric of Dan’s universe is torn. He continues talking, trying to work through his sadness.

Dan’s phone buzzes, showing a text from Phil. Tell the viewers I’m not doing a liveshow Thursday. His heart sinks. He’s just Phil’s messenger, as he says when he tells his audience. And even worse, Dan doesn’t get to watch the liveshow. If Phil didn’t call off his liveshow, Dan would be able to see him again. They haven’t had the time or energy to do anything but text. He just wants to see Phil again.

rare emoji Dan sends after texting Phil an oil can. Phil sends back a blue button. wow. i’m impressed. He can’t let Phil win the rare emoji battle. 

While he’s searching for another random emoji, Phil texts back. Yeah wtf is that idk

Dan picks out a satellite to send, which Phil counters with an odd necklace-looking thing. Smiling, Dan picks out the ‘his soul’ emoji to send. It’s simply a black hole. Dan decides to post it on Twitter for the daily dose of phan content. 

Right after he does, he gets another text from Phil. You didn’t have to post that they all saw me say wtf and now they’ll be jokingly angry lmao 

yeah. jokingly angry. i don’t see the problem is Dan’s response. Phil simply sends an eye rolling emoji. 

Sunday, Dan tunes in for Phil’s liveshow. He smiles simply hearing his boyfriend’s voice. But his face drops when someone asks where he’s been and he lies. “I’ve been spending some quality time with my family. I’ll probably be staying longer than intended as well. But I’ll be home soon.” He stares right into the camera, and Dan knows the look is intended only for him. A weak smile crosses his face as a single tear slips away. Phil manages to contain his.

Dan picks up his phone, going to his text conversation with Phil and sending a simple red heart. Phil looks down and smiles. 

Days turn to weeks. Phil eventually has to tell the phandom what’s happened simply because they were starting to worry that he and Dan split up. They immediately to lose views after this, which they can’t afford. So he comes clean. The phandom takes a few days to rest. Everyone mourns the loss and the struggle before they return to their daily lives. But Dan and Phil still don’t. They’re separate. And there’s nothing they can do about it. 

Dan Skypes Phil, something he’s thankfully been able to do a lot more often lately. He frowns when he sees Phil’s face. “What’s wrong?” 

“My mum… She’s gotten worse. I don’t know if she’s going to make it.” Dan can tell his eyes are glossy with tears, and his are as well. Phil’s family is as much of a family to him as his own. 

“Phil… I’m so sorry…” Suddenly loud beeps come from the room Phil’s in. Dan immediately realizes he’s in his mum’s hospital room. “Phil?” 

“I’m sorry, I’ve got to go!” He slams his laptop shut, cutting off his connection with Dan, and rushes over to his mum’s bed. Doctors surround him as he sobs over her pained face. He’s pushed away by a man in a white coat and he sits down in a chair, his head in his hands. 

The beeps stop. All that remains is one constant tone. 

Phil slumps from his chair. 

Dan’s broken. Obviously he’s nowhere near as broken as Phil, but he’s broken. He’s a shattered glass on the floor with nobody to clean him up. But he has to be the strong one while he’s Skyping Phil. “I’m so sorry… What happens now?” 

“Martyn and I have to settle the estate. It may take months.” Months. The word echoes in Dan’s head. He could be apart from Phil for months. He breaks down and begins to cry, and hears Phil’s sobs through the call. But Dan has to be strong. 

He smiles weakly. “Just like 2009, eh?” Phil looks up and smiles back. 

“I guess…”

Dan reaches out, putting his hand to the camera. “I’ll see you someday soon. I promise.” Phil reaches out as well, as if their hands were touching through the cameras. They both speak.

“Someday soon.” 

Phil’s mum’s funeral date approaches. Suddenly it’s but a day away. Dan wishes it would just be over so Phil can finish with the estate and come home. But not as much as he wishes he can go. He spends his days scrolling through his Tumblr dash and reblogging existential posts. The phandom has begun to worry again, but Dan doesn’t care. He just wants Phil back. 

He’s on the couch scrolling when there’s a knock on the door. Rolling his eyes, he stands up to answer it. Standing in the doorway is their landlord. “I’m here for the surprise inspection.” 

“Sure, come on in.” He attempts to seem happy although there’s no joy left within him. 

“Where’s your friend?” 

Dan bites his lip at the mention of Phil to keep from tearing up. “He’s settling his parents’ estate.” 

“I’m sorry to hear that.” The landlord conducts his inspection, telling Dan that the flat looks wonderful and they’re more than welcome to stay as long as they’d wish. He smiles and thanks him, sending him out the door and heading back to his laptop and Tumblr. He’s watching a cute cat gif when he realizes. 

The landlord came. 

He did his inspection. 

Dan doesn’t have to be here anymore. 

He can go to Phil’s mum’s funeral. 

He can go to Phil. 

After a bit of research on an online obituary, Dan finds the church Phil’s mum’s service is at. He takes a deep breath, opening the door. Phil is standing in the church’s lobby, greeting people. “Dan?” His eyes widen, his voice quivering. Dan drops his bag, running into Phil’s arms. “You’re here…” 

“The landlord came yesterday.” Dan smiles. “I’m here to stay.” They each tear up, finally back together after so long. They’ve been through so many hardships, and there are still plenty more to come. But together, they can brave them. Dan takes Phil’s hand, and they walk into the church’s main room. The funeral is the first of the hardships to come. But they can make it as long as they’re together.


End file.
